Project Summary/Abstract The purpose of this proposal is to seek support for the American Physiological Society (APS) conference entitled Cardiovascular, Renal, and Metabolic Diseases: Gender-Specific Implications in Physiology scheduled for September 30th through October 3rd, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Recently, NIH mandated that researchers study both males and females in all studies, where applicable. As more women are included in clinical trials and more female animals are included in basic science research we are rapidly expanding our understanding of how profoundly biological sex impacts both normal physiology and numerous pathologies. Thus, interest in the topic of sex and gender continues to grow, and there is an unmet need for scientific conferences and symposia that provide a forum to bring greater focus to this field. The objectives of the 2018 Cardiovascular, Renal, and Metabolic Diseases: Gender-Specific Implications in Physiology conference are to: 1) gather a critical mass of expert clinical and basic researchers with interests in the role of sex hormones, sex chromosomes, and gender in cardiovascular-renal diseases, obesity and metabolic syndrome, and population studies to promote the exchange of ideas, develop scientific relationships, and to promote potential collaborations in the future; 2) promote and encourage early career investigators and trainees (graduate students and postdoctoral fellows) to develop new studies into women's/men's health issues and/or sex and gender differences in cardiovascular, renal and metabolic function in health and disease; and, 3) provide context and greater understanding for the consideration of sex as a biological variable in clinical and basic science studies of cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic diseases. In order to achieve the objectives above, APS has developed a three-day conference program organized by specific organ systems (i.e., brain, kidney, heart, and vasculature), aging, obesity and metabolism, and female- and male-specific cardiovascular, renal and metabolic complications/diseases. Multiple poster sessions, a poster competition, and a career development workshop will encourage trainees and early career investigators to attend and present their research. Importantly, APS proposes to administer a travel award program for trainees, early career investigators, and/or individuals from underrepresented groups participating in the conference program.